Jenny told me to do it...

So, I had my first experience with 'bullying' in the blogosphere. Without getting into the details, I am a bit ashamed to say that I am the mean kid on the playground and I took some kid’s lunch money. The anonymity of the blogs and the internet, in general, lends itself to creating bullies. But it also allows people who would not normally be bullies to stand up for themselves (I know I don’t fall into this category, but whatever). In the case of my little ‘mean kids’ moment, I was definitely picking at someone who had started it – with other people, not me, but again, work with me. Seriously, how often can you poke someone with a stick with complete safety? And for businesses, publications, retail sites, does the anonymity of the internet allow for more honest feedback? It is like the blogosphere is a giant comments box where you don’t have to be worried about being outed by your handwriting. I am not saying I am going for anonymity – I am on the full disclosure bandwagon – but that isn’t to say it doesn’t serve its purpose. Look at Fake Steve Jobs. I don’t know who he is. He could be a 26-year old college drop out living in his mother’s basement, but I still like his commentary - I think he is relevant and funny. Would I think he was relevant if I knew he was a college drop out living in his mother’s basement? Probably not. And people can post all over about the horrible experience they had with X (enter whatever here - retail store, hotel chain, ex-boyfriend, etc.) without fear of retribution – thus the beauty of anonymity on the web. Well, that and I can harass crazy people.

Also, as a little aside, as more and more journalists jump ship from their mother publications (alright, some of them are being asked, nicely, to walk the plank) and starting, or dedicating more time to, their own personal blogs, the average blog reader is getting quite a treat. I know he doesn’t need (or probably even want my recommendation) but everyone in my office should be reading Brian Fuller’s blog, Greeley’s Ghost. It is incredibly interesting.